Nirvana At Gokarna
Destination/Pilgrimage/Gokarnam
An old town that has defied the ravages of time, spirituality permeating the very air of ancient Mahabaleswara, the outpost of kerala, and a hand-maiden to legends.
It is assumed that the Kerala of ancient times extended from Gokarna upto Kanyakumari. It is believed, the great sage Parasurama obtained this division of land, hurling his axe into the sea. One can see these myths and legends do pocess essence and relevence , once we travel along the Karavalli shores upto Gokarna. The topography simply reminds kerala. A lush green costal land lying on the flight of steps caused by the Western Ghats. The only differerence lies in the language used. Once, pilgrims from Kerala used to travel to Gokarna, both via land and sea. Practices and habits are bound to change. Both Kanyakumari and Gokarna are now beyond the boundaries of Kerala. And in the case of Gokarna it's now transformed into an alien land, totally strange.
The journey to Gokarna will never let you down for it is never so monotonous. The alluring beauty of the sea and the hillocks seduces the travellers. Gokarna lies to the north, along the coast of Canara which appears like a long ribbon, once we leave Mangalore. It is surrounded with unkissed, chaste sea-coasts, left unexplored. There, lies the ancient Mahabaleshwar temple that enshrines the Aatma Lingam of Lord Shiva; Its idyllic beaches and serene landscape. After Uduppi, Kunthapuram, Batkal, Murudeswar, and Kumtha comes Gokarna. Travelling from Kolloor,one can reach Gokarna ascending N H 17 from Ottinane, before Batkal.
We reached Gokarna on a shower- vacant hour. The town becomes visible once you take a left turn,from the national highway on the way to Karwar . On the way are the sights revealing the charm of the morn, a new beginning, caused by the lovely rain. Delighted kids in umbrellas, moving to the school, having a great time enjoying their walk. Belled cows stood on the roads throwing a dispassionate glance at the puddles formed.
An eldery lady carrying a bundle of wet firewood on her head, passed by. The old leyland bus staggered forth trying the patience of rain drenched travellers. The eatery of Pai,supplying hot and tasty rava iddlies and upuma. All nostalgic Konkan spectacles.
The Mahabaleswar temple is to the extreme west of the town. The main street (the Chariot street) finds it end near the temple. The wooden architecture smacked of ancient times. It is a town with two main streets with shops and traditional tile roofed brick houses. The houses were attatched to shops ,selling decorative peices and domestic implements.
If you are new to the place ,you will soon find yourselves surrounded by a pack of adorers tempting you to arrange with offerings like, Maharudrabhishekam, Thilahomam, Pindam etc. They may also promise you with a discription of the temple itself. Once they come to know that you are a malayalee,they would ask,'etha rajyam? ( what's your country)'. Old ladies and kids approach with bunches of flowers. All these people have one and only intention; ie. to make a living. Sanskrit scholars in saffron dhothies cycled away reminding that Gokarna is also an important center of Sanskrit learning.
A shaven-headed few, were argueng in the open verandah of their houses. Women with their nose-steds glistening against the morning rays, stood feeding the cows that waited at the enterance. Then a wonderful thought struck me- that no one could be seen there holding a mobile phone. I also remembered the people in my native roaming about holding one, necessarily or unnecessarily.
We dropped in at the temple managing trustee, Mr Balachandra Deekshit's house. We needed a letter of permission inorder to take photographs of the temple. 'The post of a trustee is just name sake and simply ornamental',confessed he, in the beginning. It was a short roofed house with small rooms. On the walls of the house were the photographs of almost all the Gods and Godesses, and Chakras. He gave a hearty welcome and offered us a nice cup of coffee. His younger brother Prabhakara Deekshith and family also lived with him. In the adjescent room was a little girl struggling with fever. He gave us the letter. Knowing that we were from kerala, he talked about Shankaracharya. He told us that Shankaracharya met his deciple Hasthamalaka at Gokarna. When we offered Dakshina he refused to accept it in hands due to some detilement and asked to place it in the thalam (plate) instead. He handed over a visiting card on which was written'our house is behind Aswantha tree'. He also asked us to remain there untill the rain stops.
The facial signet of Mahabaleswara is its archaism. The huge walls surrounding the temple doesn't claim any charm of sculpters. The sanctum sanctorum built in granite becomes visible once you go in. Inside the temple is the antique feeling of the permanance of time. The gopura resembles Sreechakra.
The temple faces the west and enshrines the Athmalinga of lord Shiva. The myth says that the temple's antiquity goes beyond the 'Threthayuga'. Legend says that the holy Lingam was given by Shiva to King Ravana, pleased at his penance, to make his kingdom an invincible fortress. On his way back to Lanka, Ravana stops for evening prayer in Gokarana. Lord Ganapathy who was frightened of the prosperity and splendour that Athmalinga would bring to Ravana devised a plan. He went to Ravana in the guise of a young boy, and told Ravana that he would hold the Athmalinga till he finishes his prayers on the condition that he would not place it on the ground. But he tricked Ravana placing the Athmalinga on the ground ,before he comes, and it firmly gets attached to the Earth. In spite of the might exerted by Ravana (Maha Bala) the Lingam remained rooted to the ground.
The Linga resembling the ear of a cow is placed, in a square Saligrama Peedam. A golden rekha ((line) on the peedam, and a small hole in its middle enables devotees to catch a glimpse of the top of the Aatma Lingam. We prayed touching the top of Aathmalingam seen among the bushes of thulasi plant. It is believed that one get cleansed off all the sins and attains moksha ,once we enter passage to the temple. This is considered as one of the 'Mukthikshethras'. This six foot tall Shivalingam enclosed inside the peedam can be seen only once in 40 years, when the Ashta bandana Kumbhahishekam is performed. There are shrines here to Vighneswara, Bhadrakali,and Venkataramana. Gokarnanayaki is also known as Taamragowri, and her shrine is behind the sanctum.
The narrow street behind the temple takes to the enchanting sea-shore of Gokarna were we see pilgrims ,and other travellers who have come to offer funeral rites. This town lies between the rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini which joins here ,flowing in the form of a cow's ear reminding of the belief that Lord Shiva has emerged from the ear of a cow.
R. L Harilal
Pictures: Madhuraj
Translation: Jyotsna P Kadayaprath
An old town that has defied the ravages of time, spirituality permeating the very air of ancient Mahabaleswara, the outpost of kerala, and a hand-maiden to legends.
It is assumed that the Kerala of ancient times extended from Gokarna upto Kanyakumari. It is believed, the great sage Parasurama obtained this division of land, hurling his axe into the sea. One can see these myths and legends do pocess essence and relevence , once we travel along the Karavalli shores upto Gokarna. The topography simply reminds kerala. A lush green costal land lying on the flight of steps caused by the Western Ghats. The only differerence lies in the language used. Once, pilgrims from Kerala used to travel to Gokarna, both via land and sea. Practices and habits are bound to change. Both Kanyakumari and Gokarna are now beyond the boundaries of Kerala. And in the case of Gokarna it's now transformed into an alien land, totally strange.
The journey to Gokarna will never let you down for it is never so monotonous. The alluring beauty of the sea and the hillocks seduces the travellers. Gokarna lies to the north, along the coast of Canara which appears like a long ribbon, once we leave Mangalore. It is surrounded with unkissed, chaste sea-coasts, left unexplored. There, lies the ancient Mahabaleshwar temple that enshrines the Aatma Lingam of Lord Shiva; Its idyllic beaches and serene landscape. After Uduppi, Kunthapuram, Batkal, Murudeswar, and Kumtha comes Gokarna. Travelling from Kolloor,one can reach Gokarna ascending N H 17 from Ottinane, before Batkal.
We reached Gokarna on a shower- vacant hour. The town becomes visible once you take a left turn,from the national highway on the way to Karwar . On the way are the sights revealing the charm of the morn, a new beginning, caused by the lovely rain. Delighted kids in umbrellas, moving to the school, having a great time enjoying their walk. Belled cows stood on the roads throwing a dispassionate glance at the puddles formed.
An eldery lady carrying a bundle of wet firewood on her head, passed by. The old leyland bus staggered forth trying the patience of rain drenched travellers. The eatery of Pai,supplying hot and tasty rava iddlies and upuma. All nostalgic Konkan spectacles.
The Mahabaleswar temple is to the extreme west of the town. The main street (the Chariot street) finds it end near the temple. The wooden architecture smacked of ancient times. It is a town with two main streets with shops and traditional tile roofed brick houses. The houses were attatched to shops ,selling decorative peices and domestic implements.
If you are new to the place ,you will soon find yourselves surrounded by a pack of adorers tempting you to arrange with offerings like, Maharudrabhishekam, Thilahomam, Pindam etc. They may also promise you with a discription of the temple itself. Once they come to know that you are a malayalee,they would ask,'etha rajyam? ( what's your country)'. Old ladies and kids approach with bunches of flowers. All these people have one and only intention; ie. to make a living. Sanskrit scholars in saffron dhothies cycled away reminding that Gokarna is also an important center of Sanskrit learning.
A shaven-headed few, were argueng in the open verandah of their houses. Women with their nose-steds glistening against the morning rays, stood feeding the cows that waited at the enterance. Then a wonderful thought struck me- that no one could be seen there holding a mobile phone. I also remembered the people in my native roaming about holding one, necessarily or unnecessarily.
We dropped in at the temple managing trustee, Mr Balachandra Deekshit's house. We needed a letter of permission inorder to take photographs of the temple. 'The post of a trustee is just name sake and simply ornamental',confessed he, in the beginning. It was a short roofed house with small rooms. On the walls of the house were the photographs of almost all the Gods and Godesses, and Chakras. He gave a hearty welcome and offered us a nice cup of coffee. His younger brother Prabhakara Deekshith and family also lived with him. In the adjescent room was a little girl struggling with fever. He gave us the letter. Knowing that we were from kerala, he talked about Shankaracharya. He told us that Shankaracharya met his deciple Hasthamalaka at Gokarna. When we offered Dakshina he refused to accept it in hands due to some detilement and asked to place it in the thalam (plate) instead. He handed over a visiting card on which was written'our house is behind Aswantha tree'. He also asked us to remain there untill the rain stops.
The facial signet of Mahabaleswara is its archaism. The huge walls surrounding the temple doesn't claim any charm of sculpters. The sanctum sanctorum built in granite becomes visible once you go in. Inside the temple is the antique feeling of the permanance of time. The gopura resembles Sreechakra.
The temple faces the west and enshrines the Athmalinga of lord Shiva. The myth says that the temple's antiquity goes beyond the 'Threthayuga'. Legend says that the holy Lingam was given by Shiva to King Ravana, pleased at his penance, to make his kingdom an invincible fortress. On his way back to Lanka, Ravana stops for evening prayer in Gokarana. Lord Ganapathy who was frightened of the prosperity and splendour that Athmalinga would bring to Ravana devised a plan. He went to Ravana in the guise of a young boy, and told Ravana that he would hold the Athmalinga till he finishes his prayers on the condition that he would not place it on the ground. But he tricked Ravana placing the Athmalinga on the ground ,before he comes, and it firmly gets attached to the Earth. In spite of the might exerted by Ravana (Maha Bala) the Lingam remained rooted to the ground.
The Linga resembling the ear of a cow is placed, in a square Saligrama Peedam. A golden rekha ((line) on the peedam, and a small hole in its middle enables devotees to catch a glimpse of the top of the Aatma Lingam. We prayed touching the top of Aathmalingam seen among the bushes of thulasi plant. It is believed that one get cleansed off all the sins and attains moksha ,once we enter passage to the temple. This is considered as one of the 'Mukthikshethras'. This six foot tall Shivalingam enclosed inside the peedam can be seen only once in 40 years, when the Ashta bandana Kumbhahishekam is performed. There are shrines here to Vighneswara, Bhadrakali,and Venkataramana. Gokarnanayaki is also known as Taamragowri, and her shrine is behind the sanctum.
The narrow street behind the temple takes to the enchanting sea-shore of Gokarna were we see pilgrims ,and other travellers who have come to offer funeral rites. This town lies between the rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini which joins here ,flowing in the form of a cow's ear reminding of the belief that Lord Shiva has emerged from the ear of a cow.
R. L Harilal
Pictures: Madhuraj
Translation: Jyotsna P Kadayaprath
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